Worries that the emphasis on grades and tests in mainstream education may be hurting youngsters' overall development and happiness, a small but growing number of parents have sought alternative kindergartens for their children.

It all seemed so simple in theory: travel to some of the most beautiful parts of the world and home-school the children along the way. A few hours teaching in the morning could be followed by whole days of outdoor enjoyment. What could be nicer?

One week after Zhang Qiaofeng launches the school that he runs from home, he hosts an open day. A dozen families turn up with their children at his rented flat in Beijing's northern suburbs. The visitors include Zhang Wujun, his wife and their seven-year-old son Yuyang. They took a train all the way from Qinhuangdao, a port city 420 kilometres away, to be here.

For nine-year-old Shenzhen boy Cao Hua, school classes start at 3pm sharp - when his father, Cao Yingqiu, a professional investor, finishes monitoring the mainland's stock market online. Earlier in the day, Hua reads books and does his homework. He also takes lessons outside in chess, fencing and piano - all his own choices.

How do you choose the right kindergarten for your child? For early childhood education expert Dr Doris Cheng Pui-wah, the criteria for a good kindergarten rest on whether or not it lets children play freely.

A large part of preparing your children to take charge and craft their own destiny involves enrolling them in the right school. As such, many parents are now looking beyond class sizes, academic scores, and facilities.

In a globalised world where countries are interdependent, those looking to land themselves in a leadership role would be well advised to master their understanding of the dialects of the future, be they human languages or the increasingly ubiquitous forms of digital communication.

Non-profit organisations will need to spend millions of dollars before they qualify for a new Hong Kong government subsidy, an expert on electronic learning says. The HK$50million grant has been proposed to develop high-quality digital textbooks for schools.